WIS Group and HeartSine win Northern Ireland business awards

Newtownabbey’s Williams Industry Services and Belfast-based HeartSine and have been named as winners in the annual BVCA Management Team Awards.
These awards, produced by the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP, are designed to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the UK’s leading businesses.
Williams Industry Services (WIS Group) CEO John Toner won the highly-prized Northern Ireland CEO of the Year, while HeartSine - an innovator of defibrillator technology - picked up the gong in the Mid Market category.
WIS is backed by WhiteRock Capital Partners, and HeartSine by venture capital houses ACT Venture Capital and Enterprise Equity.
The companies join five other winners in the Northern Ireland final. All of the winners are now automatically entered into the national contest, the results of which will be announced at a ceremony in London on 25 June.
The full list of winners for the Northern Ireland BVCA Management Team Awards:
Category |
Winner |
Backed by |
Large Buyout Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year | Phoenix Natural Gas | Hastings (via Utilities Trust of Australia) and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Pension Fund |
Mid Market Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year | HeartSine | ACT Venture Capital and Enterprise Equity |
Venture Capital-backed Management Team of the Year | Automated Intelligence | WhiteRock Capital Partners |
International Impact Management Team of the Year | FanDuel | Pentech Ventures and KKR |
Exit Management Team of the Year | Vita Liberata | Broadlake Capital |
Community & Environmental Action | Balcas | Enterprise Equity |
Best for Innovation | Sensurity | Invest Northern Ireland |
CEO of the Year | John Toner, Williams Industrial Services | WhiteRock Capital Partners |
Robert Easton, chairman of the Northern Ireland judging panel and a Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, said:
“Northern Ireland is home to a huge number of standout companies which are making a real contribution to both the local and national economies. The winners of this year’s BVCA Management Teams are a testament to that, showcasing the innovation and growth stories of the region and underlining how important private equity and venture capital is to the business community.
"When the BVCA held its first awards dedicated solely to Northern Ireland last year I was struck by the variety and entrepreneurialism of all the candidates, and I’m delighted to see this repeated with the likes of Sensurity and Automated Intelligence excelling in their sectors.
"It has been once again a very strong year and I wish all of the winners the best of luck in the national final in June.”
Charlie Kerlin from leading business advisory firm and sponsor of the BVCA Awards, Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland, said:
“We are delighted to once again sponsor the Northern Ireland BVCA Management Team Awards and celebrate the fantastic achievements of local businesses. It is very encouraging to see winners from across a variety of sectors and the quality of submissions that the judging panel assessed is testament to the strong base of high growth businesses we have in Northern Ireland.
“The growth experienced by these companies would not have been possible without the funding and support from their equity backers. At Grant Thornton NI we strongly advise clients to explore the equity finance route as a means of potentially accelerating their growth strategy, and I wish all the Northern Ireland finalists the best of luck at the national BVCA awards in June.”
Notes to editor
- The BVCA Management Team Awards, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP, are the only awards to celebrate the achievements of private equity and venture capital-backed management teams. There are eight regions in total, each with their own judging panel, and all winners were automatically forwarded to the national final, the results of which were revealed at a ceremony in London on 25 June 2015. Please click here for more information.
- The Northern Ireland judging panel consists of: Robert Easton (Chair), The Carlyle Group; Jim Curran,Clarendon Fund Managers; Jane Houghton, BVCA; Charlie Kerlin, Grant Thornton; Aidan Langan, Enterprise Equity; Grannie Lennon, InterTrade Ireland; William McCulla, Invest Northern Ireland; Paul Millar, WhiteRock Capital Partners.
- The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is the industry body for the UK private equity and venture capital industry. The BVCA has over 500 member firms, representing the vast majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms and their advisers.
- Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. These firms help dynamic organisations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, forward-thinking advice. Proactive teams, led by approachable partners in these firms, use insights, experience and instinct to understand complex issues for privately owned, publicly listed and public sector clients and help them to find solutions. More than 35,000 Grant Thornton people, across over 100 countries, are focused on making a difference to clients, colleagues and the communities in which we live and work. The UK Grant Thornton member firm provides services to over 40,000 privately held businesses, public interest entities and individuals. It is led by more than 185 partners and employs more than 4,200 of the profession's brightest minds. Find out more at www.grant-thornton.co.uk.